Década moderada
Encyclopedia
In the history of Spain
, the década moderada ("moderate decade") was the period from May 1844 to July 1854, during which the Moderate Party
continuously held power.
it displaced, identified itself as liberal
, but it was considerably more conservative
than the Progressives. Whereas the Progressives had little ground for compromise with Carlism
, the Moderate Party was in more of a position to cooperate with moderate elements from among the losing side of the First Carlist War
, and the Convention of Vergara
had allowed many of the latter to return to participation in government and politics.
When the Moderate Party under General Ramón María Narváez first took power in May 1844, they inherited the progressive Spanish Constitution of 1837
, and promptly set about revising it to be more in line with their principals. They wished to have a system that allowed certain liberties, but above all they wished to establish a centralized government
and economic liberalism
that they believed would lead to transformation and economic growth.
was only 13 years old; Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies
was regent
. Narváez began a series of reforms to strengthen the monarchy and centralize the state. He curtailed freedom of expression, put an end to the popular election
of municipal
officials, and eliminated the National Militia
. In October 1844, to replace the National Militia, he created the Civil Guard
, a security force that has continued down to the present day under various Spanish regimes. The system of education was reorganized along lines proposed by Claudio Moyano.
The Moderates inherited the organization of Spain into provinces
and municipalities
, established by Javier de Burgos
in the 1833 territorial division
of the country. Each province was given a centrally appointed Civil Governor, and he, in turn, named the heads of the municipalities. In practice, this gave the Moderates a monopoly of power at all levels and control of all institutions of governance and administration. Their desire for order required a certain respect for the fuero
s that granted special rights to some of the provinces. Nevertheless, some of the provinces were disgruntled with the increased centralism, as shown by events such as the Solís Uprising
of 1846.
and legislative power were both shared between the Spanish monarchy
and the Cortes
. The Cortes consisted of a Congress of Deputies and a Senate
. The Congress was elected under census suffrage; the wealth requirements limited the franchise to less than one percent of the population. The Senate, whose size was not fixed, was appointed by the Queen. Although the constitution declared rights such as freedom of expression, these rights were subject to laws passed by the Cortes: wealthy men who intended to maintain a monopoly of power that excluded even the leaders of the Progressive Party, let alone the average citizen.
of church properties. Many Spanish Catholics were of the opinion that the clergy
had suffered an inappropriate attack on their means of gaining a living; in this matter, the Holy See
had a great deal of support among the populace against the government. The government of Bravo Murillo ultimately achieved the Concordat of 1851
, under which the Pope
accepted the disentailments and the state committed itself to the maintenance of the Church. The Government was confirmed in the right to present names of proposed bishops, inherited from the royal Concordat of 1753. Thus, the government was guaranteed an ecclesiastical hierarchy appointed at its pleasure, as well.
This process of improved relations with the Church established a basis for general tranquility in religious matters, which was fundamental to establish any general civil peace.
attempted to establish a balanced budget under the Spanish tax reform of 1845
, also known as the Ley Mon-Santillán ("Mon-Santillán Law").
The original intent of the new system of taxation was a direct income tax
on all citizens. It was difficult to apply such a system, though, because there were no reliable statistics, and much fraud. Instead, they changed to a system of indirect taxation that affected all consumers independent of their incomes. These new taxes lowered the standard of living of the general populace, resulting in many popular protests, and ultimately triggering the 1854 revolution known as the Vicalvarada, ushering in a brief return to power by the Progressive Party, the bienio progresista
("Progressive Biennium").
History of Spain
The history of Spain involves all the other peoples and nations within the Iberian peninsula formerly known as Hispania, and includes still today the nations of Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain...
, the década moderada ("moderate decade") was the period from May 1844 to July 1854, during which the Moderate Party
Moderate Party (Spain)
The Moderate Party or Moderate Liberal Party was one of the two Spanish political parties that contended for power during the reign of Isabel II...
continuously held power.
Rise to power
The Moderate Party, like the Progressive PartyProgressive Party (Spain)
The Progressive Party was one of the two Spanish political parties that contended for power during the reign of Isabel II . They were to the left of the opposing Moderate Party , but also characterized themselves as liberal...
it displaced, identified itself as liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
, but it was considerably more conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
than the Progressives. Whereas the Progressives had little ground for compromise with Carlism
Carlism
Carlism is a traditionalist and legitimist political movement in Spain seeking the establishment of a separate line of the Bourbon family on the Spanish throne. This line descended from Infante Carlos, Count of Molina , and was founded due to dispute over the succession laws and widespread...
, the Moderate Party was in more of a position to cooperate with moderate elements from among the losing side of the First Carlist War
First Carlist War
The First Carlist War was a civil war in Spain from 1833-1839.-Historical background:At the beginning of the 18th century, Philip V, the first Bourbon king of Spain, promulgated the Salic Law, which declared illegal the inheritance of the Spanish crown by women...
, and the Convention of Vergara
Convention of Vergara
The Convention of Vergara was a treaty successfully ending the major fighting in Spain's First Carlist War. The treaty—also known by many other names including the Embrace of Vergara was signed by Baldomero Espartero for the Isabelines and Rafael Maroto for the Carlists.The two generals met at...
had allowed many of the latter to return to participation in government and politics.
When the Moderate Party under General Ramón María Narváez first took power in May 1844, they inherited the progressive Spanish Constitution of 1837
Spanish Constitution of 1837
The Spanish Constitution of 1837 was the constitution of Spain from 1837 to 1845. Its principal legacy was to restore the most progressive features of the Spanish Constitution of 1812 and to entrench the concepts of constitutionalism, parliamentarism, and separation of powers in Spain.-...
, and promptly set about revising it to be more in line with their principals. They wished to have a system that allowed certain liberties, but above all they wished to establish a centralized government
Centralized government
A centralized or centralised government is one in which power or legal authority is exerted or coordinated by a de facto political executive to which federal states, local authorities, and smaller units are considered subject...
and economic liberalism
Economic liberalism
Economic liberalism is the ideological belief in giving all people economic freedom, and as such granting people with more basis to control their own lives and make their own mistakes. It is an economic philosophy that supports and promotes individual liberty and choice in economic matters and...
that they believed would lead to transformation and economic growth.
Policy
At the beginning of the década moderada, Queen Isabella IIIsabella II of Spain
Isabella II was the only female monarch of Spain in modern times. She came to the throne as an infant, but her succession was disputed by the Carlists, who refused to recognise a female sovereign, leading to the Carlist Wars. After a troubled reign, she was deposed in the Glorious Revolution of...
was only 13 years old; Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies
Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies
Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies was Queen consort of Spain and Regent of Spain .-Early years and first marriage:...
was regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
. Narváez began a series of reforms to strengthen the monarchy and centralize the state. He curtailed freedom of expression, put an end to the popular election
Universal suffrage
Universal suffrage consists of the extension of the right to vote to adult citizens as a whole, though it may also mean extending said right to minors and non-citizens...
of municipal
Municipalities of Spain
The municipalities of Spain In other languages of Spain:*Catalan/Valencian , sing. municipi.*Galician or , sing. municipio/bisbarra.*Basque , sing. udalerria. are the basic level of Spanish local government...
officials, and eliminated the National Militia
National Militia (Spain)
The National Militia in Spain was a citizen-organized quasi-military force comparable to the National Guard that arose in France during the French Revolution....
. In October 1844, to replace the National Militia, he created the Civil Guard
Civil Guard (Spain)
The Civil Guard is the Spanish gendarmerie. It has foreign peace-keeping missions and maintains military status and is the equivalent of a federal military-status police force. As a police force, the Guardia Civil is comparable today to the French Gendarmerie, the Italian Carabinieri and the...
, a security force that has continued down to the present day under various Spanish regimes. The system of education was reorganized along lines proposed by Claudio Moyano.
The Moderates inherited the organization of Spain into provinces
Provinces of Spain
Spain and its autonomous communities are divided into fifty provinces .In other languages of Spain:*Catalan/Valencian , sing. província.*Galician , sing. provincia.*Basque |Galicia]] — are not also the capitals of provinces...
and municipalities
Municipalities of Spain
The municipalities of Spain In other languages of Spain:*Catalan/Valencian , sing. municipi.*Galician or , sing. municipio/bisbarra.*Basque , sing. udalerria. are the basic level of Spanish local government...
, established by Javier de Burgos
Javier de Burgos
Francisco Javier de Burgos y del Olmo was a Spanish jurist, politician, journalist, and translator.-Early life and career:...
in the 1833 territorial division
1833 territorial division of Spain
The 1833 territorial division of Spain divided Spain into provinces, classified into "historic regions" . on the official web site of the government of the Canary Islands, accessed 2009-12-31...
of the country. Each province was given a centrally appointed Civil Governor, and he, in turn, named the heads of the municipalities. In practice, this gave the Moderates a monopoly of power at all levels and control of all institutions of governance and administration. Their desire for order required a certain respect for the fuero
Fuero
Fuero , Furs , Foro and Foru is a Spanish legal term and concept.The word comes from Latin forum, an open space used as market, tribunal and meeting place...
s that granted special rights to some of the provinces. Nevertheless, some of the provinces were disgruntled with the increased centralism, as shown by events such as the Solís Uprising
Solís Uprising
The Solís Uprising was an unsuccessful military uprising in Galicia in 1846. The soldiers executed after the defeat became known as the Martyrs of Carral .-Context:...
of 1846.
Constitution of 1845
The Moderate Party established the Spanish Constitution of 1845, under which sovereigntySovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
and legislative power were both shared between the Spanish monarchy
Spanish monarchy
The Monarchy of Spain, constitutionally referred to as The Crown and commonly referred to as the Spanish monarchy or Hispanic Monarchy, is a constitutional institution and an historic office of Spain...
and the Cortes
Cortes Generales
The Cortes Generales is the legislature of Spain. It is a bicameral parliament, composed of the Congress of Deputies and the Senate . The Cortes has power to enact any law and to amend the constitution...
. The Cortes consisted of a Congress of Deputies and a Senate
Spanish Senate
The Senate of Spain is the upper house of Spain's parliament, the . It is made up of 264 members: 208 elected by popular vote, and 56 appointed by the regional legislatures. All senators serve four-year terms, though regional legislatures may recall their appointees at any time.The last election...
. The Congress was elected under census suffrage; the wealth requirements limited the franchise to less than one percent of the population. The Senate, whose size was not fixed, was appointed by the Queen. Although the constitution declared rights such as freedom of expression, these rights were subject to laws passed by the Cortes: wealthy men who intended to maintain a monopoly of power that excluded even the leaders of the Progressive Party, let alone the average citizen.
Religion
The Moderates set out to resolve the conflict with the Catholic Church that had been created by the disentailmentConfiscation
Confiscation, from the Latin confiscatio 'joining to the fiscus, i.e. transfer to the treasury' is a legal seizure without compensation by a government or other public authority...
of church properties. Many Spanish Catholics were of the opinion that the clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
had suffered an inappropriate attack on their means of gaining a living; in this matter, the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
had a great deal of support among the populace against the government. The government of Bravo Murillo ultimately achieved the Concordat of 1851
Concordat of 1851
The Concordat of 1851 was an concordat between the Spanish government of Queen Isabella II and the Vatican. Although the concordat was signed on March 16, 1851, its terms were not implemented until 1855. The concordat remained in effect until it was repudiated by the Second Spanish Republic in 1931...
, under which the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
accepted the disentailments and the state committed itself to the maintenance of the Church. The Government was confirmed in the right to present names of proposed bishops, inherited from the royal Concordat of 1753. Thus, the government was guaranteed an ecclesiastical hierarchy appointed at its pleasure, as well.
This process of improved relations with the Church established a basis for general tranquility in religious matters, which was fundamental to establish any general civil peace.
Economy
The Moderates attempted a major reform of taxation along more rational lines. They eliminated innumerable old, narrow taxes and attempted to make those that remained more just and controllable. Finance minister Alejandro Mon and his collaborator Ramón de SantillánRamón de Santillán
Ramón de Santillán González was a Spanish soldier, politician, and Minister of Finance.-Life:Santillán was born in Lerma . He came from a relatively poor family. He matriculated in law at the University of Valladolid in 1805; his studies were interrupted by the Peninsular War...
attempted to establish a balanced budget under the Spanish tax reform of 1845
Spanish tax reform of 1845
The Spanish tax reform of 1845 made major changes to the tax system of Spain, and established the basis for a system that continues to this day.- Context :...
, also known as the Ley Mon-Santillán ("Mon-Santillán Law").
The original intent of the new system of taxation was a direct income tax
Income tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
on all citizens. It was difficult to apply such a system, though, because there were no reliable statistics, and much fraud. Instead, they changed to a system of indirect taxation that affected all consumers independent of their incomes. These new taxes lowered the standard of living of the general populace, resulting in many popular protests, and ultimately triggering the 1854 revolution known as the Vicalvarada, ushering in a brief return to power by the Progressive Party, the bienio progresista
Bienio progresista
In the history of Spain, the Bienio progresista was the two-year period from July 1854 to July 1856, during which the Progressive Party attempted to reform the political system of the reign of Isabella II, which had been dominated by the Moderate Party since 1843 in the so-called Década moderada...
("Progressive Biennium").